In late December I had extreme pain shooting down my right leg. After a week or so my entire leg went numb all the way down to the foot. I went to the doctor whom immediately diagnosed me with sciatica. After no relief I went to a chiropractor who worked on me. Again, after no relief, and being in extreme pain and numbness I went for an MRI. The MRI revealed a really bad herniation at L5/S1. The chiropractor was extremely concerned because I was approaching the "3 month" mark of numbness and apparently at that time I risk permanent nerve damage. I went and saw a neurosurgeon yesterday who confirmed the "3 month" story. He said the only true option is surgery, mainly because the disc is so far out and is shaped like an arrow. He told me that there was no chance of it ever going back in and relieving the pain. Therefore, we scheduled a Lumbar Diskectomy/Laminectomy.

My question is, with a disc herniation apparently this bad and numbness for so long, is surgery the right and possibly only option?

FROM OUR EXPERTS

I do not normally recommend surgery to anyone unless he/she is willing to risk the possibility that surgery might make matters worse. The surgical option is a personal choice.

With that said, if a healthy individual came to me with an obvious radiculopathy caused by a large extruded herniated disc , I send that individual to a surgeon sooner rather than later. If the disc is the only problem and is clearly the cause of active nerve damage, a discectomy is a good option that usually has good results.

Will the numbness resolve completely? Not neccessarily. Will you be painfree? Not neccessarily? But the odds are good, not guaranteed. Could it get worse with surgery? Maybe.

You could decide not to have surgery. If that is the case, odds are you will continue to have some nerve problems. The problems may be stable or the problems could progress. Sometimes epidural injections can calm things down a bit and let the dust settle before you go into surgery.

I wish I could give you a black or white answer. But this world is full of gray because everyone is different. Even with the best medical evidence to proceed down a particular pathway, getting from point A to point B is an individual journey.

Thank you so much for your opinion Dr. Lasich. I understand that every patient is different and that there really is no black or white here. What I do know is that this is pain that I do not want to deal with and want to take an aggressive approach in attempting to fix it. I was in a pretty bad car accident almost 10 years ago and have lived in pain ever since. 3 MRI's back then revealed a total of 7 disc bulges or herniations. I had a percutaneous lumbar disectomy which helped tremendously. I am not afraid of surgery, but was curious about others insights. My chiropractor stated that in 25 years of doing what he does, he has never seen such a large herniation. I would post a picture of it, but I don't think I can do that here. I guess I will hope for the best! Thanks again, Jeremy.

FROM OUR COMMUNITY

I definitely can relate to your claim and I am praying to almighty God for all of us to be healed. I absolutely dispize the nervous wreck I have become because of the sciatica and numbness and "stupid leg " My left leg goes numb and I while walking even a very short distance start to drift left and hit my shoulder on the doorway I am trying to enter. I just wish a spine Dr. would experience the trama and fustration I go through in just one day of work. There is no ergonomic solution no relief no empathy no nothing for us. I would not wish this on my worst enemy. The sleep cycle of the back pain sufferer is herriffic and I have to be exhausted and have a few beers and take my sleep medicine just to actually sleep for two hours....... My relief will come when JESUS CHRIST calls me to heaven... Then I can get some relief and some well deserved sleep.

Credit: Thinkstock
Pain in the body can be sudden and sharp or constant and dull. When pain turns chronic, you’re not sure if you should worry and go to the doctor or go out and get yourself a massage. Sciatica is a type of chronic pain which is characterized by pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling in the leg. The cause of sciatica is often due to an injury or compression of the sciatic nerve. It serves as a symptom of another medical problem and is not a condition on its own so knowing the cause of sciatica is paramount for the right treatment. Pain arising from an inflamed sciatic nerve can occur from low back disease, pelvic injury, lesions pressing on the nerve, piriformis syndrome, or the presence of myofascial trigger points .
What is the sciatic nerve?
The sciatic nerve is the longest and widest nerve in the body and functions as a sensory and motor nerve, meaning it is involved with sensation, strength, and reflex. It relays messages from the lumbar ...

“Sciatica” is an old world term that refers to leg pain felt down the back of the thigh into the calf and foot. What about thigh pain? What about buttock pain? Unfortunately, “sciatica” has been wrongly applied to all types and locations of leg pain. In 1948, the use of the word “sciatica” was declared “unhelpful” by a leading orthopedic specialist because it is limited to a certain location and really does not address the origin of the pain. Over the years, many older medical terms like sciatica have become archaic as the newer research technologies give doctors clearer definitions and a better understanding of the human body. Leg pain that comes from the low back is most accurately categorized as referred pain or neurogenic pain. These terms apply to all locations and address the origin of the pain. With these newer terms, the antiquated word, “sciatica”, has no place in the modern world. Sally has been waking up with right ...

Hand-foot syndrome (HFS), or Palmar-Plantar Erythrodysesthesia (PPE), is a side effect of some types of chemotherapy and other medicines used to treat breast cancer. Hand-foot syndrome is a skin reaction that occurs when a small amount of the medication leaks out of capillaries (small blood vessels), usually on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. When the medication leaks out of the capillaries, it can damage the surrounding tissues. Hand-foot syndrome can be painful and can affect your daily living.
Symptoms of hand-foot syndrome include:
numbness
tingling, burning, or itching sensation
redness (resembling a sunburn)
swelling
discomfort
tenderness
rash
In severe cases of hand-foot syndrome you may have:
cracked, flaking, or peeling skin
blisters, ulcers, or sores appearing on your skin
intense pain
difficulty walking or using your hands
The following breast cancer medications can cause hand-foot syndrome:
Xeloda (chemical name: capecitabine)
Adrucil (chemical name: 5-f...

You should knowAnswers to your question are meant to provide general health information but should not replace medical advice you receive from a doctor. No answers should be viewed as a diagnosis or recommended treatment for a condition. Content posted by community members does not necessarily reflect the views of Remedy Health Media, which also reserves the right to remove material deemed inappropriate.